Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

LSSU School Code: 002293

For priority consideration, your FAFSA must be received by March 1st. Late applicants will be considered for aid, but some funds may not be available. Students must be admitted with degree-seeking status.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the only application required and accepted by LSSU to apply for federal, state and institutional financial aid. The information you provide in the FAFSA form is kept strictly confidential. You may file a printed version of the FAFSA or file electronically using FAFSA on the Web.

Completing FAFSA on the Web

To complete the FAFSA electronically:

1. Go to https://fafsa.gov/
2. Click on Start A New FAFSA.
3. Enter your FSA ID.
4. Make sure you’re completing for the correct year.
5. Click on Start!

To obtain the printed version of the FAFSA, you may contact your high school guidance office, a college financial aid office, or the LSSU Financial Aid Office.

Completing the Renewal FAFSA

In order to be reviewed for federal student aid for each school year, you must complete a FAFSA. If you submitted a FAFSA last year and you are eligible to complete a Renewal FAFSA, you may choose to have most of the questions pre-filled with the information you previously provided. Simply updating the information for the new school year on a Renewal FAFSA may be faster. However, the Renewal FAFSA is available solely for your convenience. You will be asked to update the answers to income, asset, and tax questions. You must also update any information that has changed since last year. If you prefer to start fresh with a new FAFSA, you are free to do so.

To Reapply via FAFSA on the Web:

1. Go to https://fafsa.gov/
2. Click on Login.
3. Enter your FSA ID.
4. Click on FAFSA Renewal. (Make sure you have the correct aid year selected.)

Call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) if you have questions about what information you need to report on the FAFSA or if you are having issues with your FSA ID. You may also contact the LSSU Financial Aid Office at (906)635-2231 ext. 2678.

What Happens Next?

Shortly after you submit your FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the U.S. Department of Education. This report will show your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and your Federal Pell Grant eligibility. After reviewing these forms for accuracy, you may keep the SAR with your records. We will receive the same information electronically, determine your eligibility, and send you an award notification of what types of aid you are eligible to receive to attend LSSU, along with detailed information explaining the financial aid process at LSSU.

Checking the status of your FAFSA

You can check the status of your FAFSA immediately after submitting it online. You can check the status of a paper FAFSA after it has been processed (roughly 7-10 days from the date mailed).

To check the status of your FAFSA:

• Go to the FAFSA on the Web home page and click Login, or
• Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

If your FAFSA is still being processed, we recommend that you wait a few days before checking the status again.

Make FAFSA Corrections

If you need to make a correction to your FAFSA:

1. Go to FAFSA on the Web and click on Login.
2. Enter your FSA ID.
3. Enter your “Save Key”
4. Click on the link “Make FAFSA Corrections.“
5. Make your updates and then sign and submit your FAFSA again.

Once your correction is submitted and you receive a confirmation number, the correction will be processed in 3-5 days.

Helpful Hints for Completing Your FAFSA

LSSU School Code: 002293

• Be sure to file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://fafsa.gov/ and NOT on any other site. Remember: Filing a FAFSA is FREE and if you are being charged a fee, then you are at the wrong site!
• For the most beneficial financial aid package, file your FAFSA by March 1st each year.
• We recommend that you use the IRS Data Retrieval process.
• FAFSA on the web requires you to electronically sign it with your FSA ID. If you are a dependent student, one of your parents will also need to electronically sign with his/her FSA ID. You can create an FSA ID here.
• Social Security numbers must be entered correctly and must match the name exactly as it is shown on your SSN card. If a Social Security number is incorrect, this will significantly slow down the process.
• If you are asked to report asset information, do not include the value of your home (or parents’ home) or retirement accounts. Your assets include all available cash on the day you file the FAFSA, as well as trust accounts, money market accounts and other investments.
• If your parents are divorced (for dependent students), you will only enter information on the FAFSA about the parent that you live with the most. If your parents share custody, you have to determine which parent provides you with the most support and use that parent’s household as yours on the FAFSA. If your parent is remarried, you must also enter the information for your stepparent and any children that reside in their home.
• If you are unsure how to answer a question, be sure to refer to the helpful hints on the FAFSA website or contact the Financial Aid Office with your question.
• If your parents’ income or health has changed dramatically from the year you reported on the FAFSA, you may be eligible for a Special Circumstance review.
• Don’t forget to file your FAFSA each year, prior to March 1st, for the best aid package!

Using Anchor Access to Access Your Financial Aid Information

Accepting your financial aid in Anchor Access:

1. Go to my.lssu.edu (see the helpful hints below for more information)
2. Enter your Username and Password
3. Click on Accept Financial Aid Award on Financial Aid tile
4. Click on Award Offer
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page to view aid that has been offered
6. Under the Take Action Column use the Accept or Decline feature to respond to each type of aid that it requires
7. Click Submit
8. Click on “I acknowledge these terms & conditions “
9. Click Accept Award

View your required documents in Anchor Access:

1. Go to my.lssu.edu
2. Enter your Username and Password
3. Click on Financial Aid Requirements
4. Click on arrow for more information about requirement. Click on link to print or complete document if applicable.

Helpful Hints

• To log in for the first time, go to http://my.lssu.edu.
• If you have any problems logging in, please contact the IT Help Desk at 906-635-6677.

Direct Loan Entrance Counseling

Students who are first-time borrowers of a Federal Direct Loan at LSSU are required to complete mandatory loan counseling prior to receiving loan funds.

You may complete the entrance counseling tutorial at https://studentaid.gov/. (Note: Do not select the Grad/PLUS session.)

Steps to complete Entrance Counseling:

1. Go to https://studentaid.gov/
2. Log in using your FSA username and password.
3. Click on I’m in School drop down menu
4. Click on Entrance Counseling
5. Click on Start
6. Select School Information and click Continue.
7. Read through the information in order to answer the questions.
8. Once completed, the indicated school(s) will receive confirmation of completion.

NOTE: You may also need to complete and sign an electronic Master Promissory Note at https://studentaid.gov/ before disbursement.

If you have any questions, please contact us by phone at 906-635-2678 or by email at .

Federal Direct Student Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN)

If this is your first Federal Direct Student Loan, you must complete and sign an electronic “Master Promissory Note” (MPN) at https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/index.action before your loan can disburse. Your FSA ID is required to sign in. If you do not have a FSA ID yet, you can create one here. An FSA ID gives you access to Federal Student Aid’s online systems and can serve as your legal signature.

Steps to complete a MPN:

1. Go to https://studentaid.gov/
2. Log in using FSA username and password
3. Click on I’m in School drop down menu
4. Click on Loan Agreement (Master Promissory Note)
5. Select MPN for Subsidized/Unsubsidized 
6. Click Start
7. Complete the four steps and click submit.

Please allow 7 – 10 days for the processing of the MPN to be viewable on your Anchor Access account.

NOTE: You will also need to complete Entrance Counseling at https://studentaid.gov/ before disbursement.

If you have any questions, please contact us by phone at 906-635-2678 or by email at .

Direct Loan Exit Counseling

Exit counseling explains the basic facts about the repayment of your Federal Direct Loan(s) along with your rights and responsibilities as a borrower. Other important topics such as deferment, consolidation, and default are discussed. This information will help you to manage the repayment of your student loan debt and to avoid any difficulties that could adversely affect your credit rating or your eligibility for student loans and other aid in the future.

Federal regulations require all students who have received Federal Direct Loans (subsidized and/or unsubsidized) to complete Exit Counseling for the following reasons:

• Student has graduated.
• Student is attending less than half-time. (Enrolled in less than 6 credits.)
• Student withdraws from the University.
• Student is not returning to LSSU after his/her current semester ends.

Steps to complete Exit Counseling:

1. Go to https://studentaid.gov/.
2. Log in using your FSA username and password
3. Click on I’m in Repayment drop down menu
4. Click on Exit Counseling.
5. Click Start
6. Select School information and then click continue.
7. Read through the information in order to answer the questions.
8. Once completed, the indicated school(s) will receive confirmation of completion.

CAUTION: Consolidation of Federal Student Loans with any private loans will convert the Federal Student Loans to private loans. You will lose all Federal deferment, forbearance, and forgiveness options.

If you have any questions, please contact us by phone at (906) 635-2678.

Financial Literacy and Related Websites

The Department of Education’s Financial Awareness Counseling is an interactive resource that provides students with basic financial literacy and information about student loan debt.

We encourage all borrowers to complete this counseling to help you make informed borrowing decisions.
This counseling is not the same as the required Entrance Counseling for first-time student borrowers.

Steps to complete Financial Awareness Counseling:

1. Log into studentloans.gov and sign in with your FSA ID.
2. Choose the “Complete Counseling” option and select “Financial Awareness Counseling“.

Loan Forgiveness Programs

Your Federal Direct Loans must be repaid even if you don’t finish school, can’t find employment in your field of study, or if you are unsatisfied with the education you paid for with your loans. However, there are certain loan forgiveness programs that could forgive a portion of or even the entire outstanding federal loan balance. Being granted loan forgiveness means that you are no longer responsible for repaying the remaining portion of your loans. Each loan forgiveness program has its own terms and conditions as well as requirements that must be met in order to be eligible or retain eligibility for the forgiveness programs.

Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program

If you are a teacher, have been teaching full-time in a low-income elementary/secondary school or educational service agency for five consecutive years, along with meeting other qualifications, you may be able to have a portion of your subsidized or unsubsidized loans forgiven.

Listed below are some eligibility requirements, but not all:

• Teach for 5 complete consecutive academic years.
• Teach at a low-income school.
• Be considered teaching at Full-time.
• Be considered a “Highly Qualified” teacher.
• Have unpaid, qualifying educational loans.

For more detailed information on the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program, click here.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program

This program encourages individuals to enter and continue to work in public service jobs on a full-time basis. Under the PSLF program, borrowers may qualify for forgiveness of the remaining loan balance if they have been employed full-time in certain public service jobs, have made 120 payments toward your Federal Direct Loans, and have met other qualifications.

Listed below are some eligibility requirements, but not all:

• Make 120 qualifying payments toward your federal loans.
• Maintain full-time employment status.
• Work for a qualifying public service organization.
• Have eligible educational loans.

For more information on PSLF, click here.

Perkins Loan Cancellation

Upon making a written request to the University of which issued you the Perkins loan, you could have up to 100% of the original principal loan amount cancelled if you perform qualifying, full-time services in the areas listed below.

• Teaching– in a public or other nonprofit low-income elementary or secondary school or in a school or location operated by an educational service agency.
• Early Intervention Specialist –qualified professional provider of early intervention services in a public or other nonprofit program under public supervision by a lead agency.
• Law Enforcement or Corrections Officer– for an eligible local, state, or federal law enforcement agency or corrections agency.
• Nurse or Medical Technician – A nurse or medical technician providing health care services.
• Child or Family Service Agency– employee of an eligible public or private nonprofit child or family service agency who is directly providing or supervising the provision of services to high-risk children who are from low-income communities and the families of such children.
• Attorneys Employed in a Defender Organization – employed in a defender organization.
• Firefighters – a full-time firefighter for a local, State or Federal fire department or fire district.
• Tribal College or University Faculty – faculty member at a Tribal College or University.
• Librarian – librarian with a master’s degree in library science and is employed in an elementary or secondary schools.
• Speech-Language Pathologist – have a master’s degree and who is working exclusively with schools that are eligible for assistance under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
• Service in Early Childhood Education Program – staff member in the educational component of a Head Start program, or a full-time staff member in a pre-kindergarten of child care program that is licensed or regulated by the State.
• Military – A member of the Armed Forces of the United States in an area of hostilities that qualifies for special pay.
• Volunteer Service – A volunteer under the Peace Corps Act; a volunteer under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973

For more information regarding the Perkins benefits, please contact Ashley MacDonald at or 906-635-2592.

NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program

This program helps RNs (including advanced practice RNs and nursing faculty) by paying off 60% of their unpaid nursing student loans in just two years. In addition, it pays off an additional 25% of the original balance for an optional third year. The next application cycle is scheduled to open again in early 2017.

To be eligible, a borrower must:

• Be a licensed RN (nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses are encouraged to apply) or nurse faculty.
• Have completed training. (ex. diploma, associate, baccalaureate or graduate)
• Be employed full-time (at least 32 hours per week) at an eligible critical shortage facility.
• Be a U.S. Citizen (born or naturalized) or National and Lawful Permanent Resident.
• Have education from an accredited school of nursing located in a U.S. State.

For more information, click here.

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program

This program awards borrowers with up to $50,000 in lieu of two years of service if they practice in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) of 14 and above (Tier I). If borrowers practice in an HPSA of 13 or below, they could receive up to $30,000 in exchange for two years of service. To see application dates please go here

To be eligible, a borrower must:

• Be licensed to practice in an NHSC-eligible discipline.
• Have a job at an NHSC-approved site.
• Have unpaid, qualifying educational loans.

For more information, click here.

Students to Service Loan Repayment Program

This program offers tuition and loan repayment assistance of up to $120,000 in lieu of at least three years of full-time service or six years of half-time service in a Health Professional Shortage Area of greatest need. The next application cycle is expected to open by fall 2016.

To be eligible, a borrower must:

• Be in the final year of medical school.
• Be committed to pursuing a residency and career in family medicine, internal medicine, general pediatrics, geriatrics, obstetrics-gynecology, and psychiatry.
• Be looking for a fulfilling experience providing care in communities with a shortage of health professionals.
• Have qualifying educational loans taken to support undergraduate and medical school education.

For more information about this program, click here.

Repaying Your Student Loans

How much do I owe and who do I pay?

1. Go to https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/index.action
2. Under the Tools and Resources tab, click on My Financial Aid History.
3. You will now be taken to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) site.
4. Click on Financial Aid Review.
5. Sign in using your FSA ID.
6. Your loan history is listed at the top. If you received grants, they are listed near the bottom. (Grants do not need to be repaid.)
7. Click the blue number on the left for further details on each individual loan.
8. You will find your servicer’s contact information near the bottom of the page. Your servicer is the company who will collect your payments and handle your loan account for your Federal Direct loans (subsidized and/or unsubsidized).

NOTE: It is strongly encouraged that you set up an online account at your servicer’s website. It’s the easiest way to manage your loans and keep information updated with your loan servicer.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

You have the right to know:

1. the available financial aid programs. They are listed in the Financial Aid section of the Course Catalog and on the Web at www.lssu.edu/finaid.
2. deadlines for submitting applications for each available financial aid program.
3. how financial aid will be distributed, how decisions on that distribution are made and the basis for these decisions. (Contact the Financial Aid Office.)
4. how your financial need was determined. This includes how costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, personal and miscellaneous expenses, etc., are considered in your budget. (See Official Offer of Award letter.)
5. what resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, your assets, etc.) were considered in the calculation of your need. (Contact the Financial Aid Office.)
6. how much of your financial need has been met, as determined by the institution. (See Official Offer of Award letter.)
7. request an explanation of the various programs in your student aid package. If you believe you have been treated unfairly, you may request reconsideration of your award. (Contact the Financial Aid Office.)
8. the school’s refund policy. (See Costs section of this Catalog.)
9. what portion of the financial aid received must be repaid and what portion is grant aid. If the aid is a loan, you have the right to know the interest rate, the total amount that must be repaid, the payback procedure, the length of time you have to repay the loan, when repayment begins, the terms, and schedules for the repayment of student loans. (Contact the Financial Aid Office or see Promissory Note.)
10. how the school determines satisfactory progress, what happens if you are not meeting the requirements, and how to re-establish eligibility for financial aid. (See Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.)
11. that LSSU programs are accessible to the handicapped. Further information is available from the Ability Center for Exceptional Students (ACES), Lake Superior State University, 650 W. Easterday Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. The ACES is located in room 149 of the Library.
12. how and when financial aid will be disbursed.
13. that you are entitled by law to examine records maintained in the Financial Aid Office that relate to your financial aid file.
14. the school’s completion and graduation rates and crime statistics. (See LSSU Public Safety Web site for report.)
15. the names of associations, agencies or governmental bodies that approve, accredit or license the University programs. Copies of the accreditation documents are available upon request. (See Accreditation.)

Responsibilities

1. You are responsible for obtaining all the forms required to apply for the type of assistance you wish to receive. You must complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time to the right place.
2. You must provide correct information. In most instances, misreporting information on financial aid application forms is a violation of law and may be considered a criminal offense that could result in indictment under the United States criminal code.
3. You must return all additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the Financial Aid Office or the agency to which you submitted your application on a timely basis.
4. You are responsible for reading and understanding all forms you are asked to sign and for keeping copies of them.
5. You must accept responsibility for all agreements you sign.
6. You must do the work agreed upon in accepting a work study award.
7. You must be aware of and comply with deadlines for application or reapplication for aid.
8. You are responsible for reporting changes that might affect your eligibility for financial aid including:
   • change in address or type of residency (e.g., dorm to commuter)
   • changes in enrollment status (e.g., dropping classes or withdrawing)
   • changes in marital status
   • all non-LSSU aid received.
9. If you have a loan, you are required to repay it and notify your lender of changes in name or address. You should also know the name and address of your lender.
10. Be aware of your school’s refund procedures.
11. All schools must provide information to prospective students about the school’s programs and performance. You should consider this information carefully before deciding to attend.

Click the following form for LSSU’s code of conduct:

CODE_OF_CONDUCT

LSSU Policy for Handling Gifts